Paris Masters - Janowicz

sets up Simon semi

 as Ferrer ends Tsonga hopes

Polish qualifier Jerzy Janowicz, 21, lies in wait for Simon in the semi-finals after he produced another breathtaking performance in recovering to complete a 3-6 6-1 4-1 win over world number nine Janko Tipsarevic, who retired apparently feeling groggy with his opponent on the cusp of victory.

David Ferrer showed his class with a convincing 6-2 7-5 win over 2008 champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The world number four was always a step ahead of Tsonga, who huffed and puffed but failed to earn one break point never mind a break of serve in the match.

He will face French qualifier Michael ... Read more »

WADA won't appeal

 USADA Lance

Armstrong ruling

The World Anti-Doping Agency has confirmed they will not appeal against the United States Anti-Doping Agency's sanctions against Lance Armstrong.

USADA recommend that all Armstrong's results from 1 August, 1998 were expunged from the record books, including his seven consecutive Tour de France `wins` from 1999 to 2005, as well as handing the 41-year-old a life ban from cycling.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) last week ratified the sanctions imposed by USADA, who concluded Armstrong and his United States Postal Service team ran "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".

But while the UCI did highlight some cri ... Read more »

Athletics - New York

Marathon cancelled as

residents complain

New York City has cancelled its annual marathon, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, as Sunday's race had become a lightning rod for residents frustrated by the disastrous aftermath of megastorm Sandy.

Jenson Button says

 Lewis Hamilton exit

a 'big loss' for

McLaren

Jenson Button believes Lewis Hamilton's impending exit from McLaren will be "a big loss" to the team.

Button has previously made it clear he has enjoyed pitting his wits against a fellow world champion in Hamilton these past three years, helping to make him a better driver.

Although there will be no second crown for either man this season, a 24-point gap between the English duo means Hamilton is set to leave for Mercedes with a 2-1 victory in their inter-team rivalry based on total points at the end of the season.

Rising star Sergio Perez may have been recruited as replacement, but the 32-year-old Button cannot help but feel ... Read more »

Tiger Woods blames

 fatigue after a long season

 for missing WGC

in China

Tiger Woods said fatigue was the reason he skipped this week's World Golf Championship event in China.

As Australian Adam Scott and South African Louis Oosthuizen grabbed the first-round lead at the $7 million event in Shenzhen on Thursday, the 36-year-old Woods was holding a putting clinic for school children in Singapore.

The main sponsor had been unhappy Woods and world number one McIlroy chose to miss the WGC event despite being in the country and playing in a lucrative exhibition event.

Woods said he was looking forward to competing in the World Challenge in December, an invitational event he hosts in California, before ... Read more »

Ronaldo reunites

mother and daughter

on TV

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo played the unlikely role of agony aunt when he popped up on an Italian television show to help a feuding family.

Ronaldo channelled his inner Jeremy Kyle to appear on - 'C'e posta per te' (I have a letter for you) — to help a mother restore a relationship with her daughter.

The mother in the show was struggling financially so she moved in with her son and sent her daughter to live with her father against her will, which caused the two to have a falling out.

With their relationship in tatters, the woman then 'wrote a letter' to the daughter which was delivered in person by Ronaldo (who the girl i ... Read more »

 $8.5 million? Not bad for a

 game of cards

Poker player Greg Merson is a very wealthy man after winning a staggering $8.5 million (£5.26 million) in the game's most prestigious event — the World Series of Poker.

To put that into context that is more than double the winners of Wimbledon ($1.857 million), the Open Championship ($1.452 million) and the Tour de France ($583,680) get combined.

Whether or not you think poker is a 'sport' is open to debate, but you can't deny it is a staggering achievement.

Here Martin Rodgers of Yahoo! Sports tells the story of Merson's amazing win and how he had a helping hand from a certain Olympic legend.

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A series of supp ... Read more »

Paris Masters -

Tsonga, Tipsarevic book 

O2 places with wins

in Paris

Both Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tipsarevic secured their places at the season-ending World Tour Finals in London with third-round victories at the Paris Masters.

"It's really important for me to have qualified. With the big four at the moment, it's not easy to get rewards in tennis, so for me this is one of my rewards. It ... Read more »